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FAQs
What is Heifer International Nepal?
Heifer Nepal works as a country office of Heifer International. Heifer is an international, non-profit organization committed to ending hunger and poverty around the world while caring for the earth and its resources. Since 1944, Heifer has helped 8.5 million families in more than 125 countries to move towards greater self-reliance through the gifts of livestock, agricultural inputs and social empowerment.
How did Heifer Nepal start?
Heifer International was originally involved in Nepal in 1957 and 1958, when the Government of Nepal requested specific breeds of cattle, pigs, poultry, and sheep in order to introduce high-yielding livestock into the native animal population. In 1957, eight Brown Swiss cows and two bulls, five Hampshire pigs and 57 Dorset Horn, Romne, and Rambullet sheep had been provided. And in 1958, four Coridel rams and two Jersy cows had been sent to Nepal. The cows and pigs were raised in Singha Durbar Livestock Farm in Kathmandu and sheep in Chitlang Sheep Farm in Makwanpur. The Brown Swiss breed and Jersy breed is popular throughout the country now. In 1997 Heifer Nepal registered as a country office to begin its full-fledged operation in Nepal.
How does Heifer International work in Nepal?
Heifer Nepal uses livestock and trainings as tools for poverty alleviation rather than solutions to poverty. According to its philosophy of development, development is not about distributing inputs but about empowering individuals, building communities, producing deeper level impact and transformation. Through years of learning and practice, Heifer has established the Values-based Holistic Community Development (VBHCD) model to achieve all this. The livestock and trainings allow Heifer to reach a community and form a relationship with them, after which Heifer can work with them for their holistic transformation.
What are "Heifer cornerstones"?
The set of 12 essential principles that guides Heifer's work is referred to as the Heifer International Cornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development, or more simply "the Cornerstones." Together, they form the acronym PASSING on the GIFTS, representing the quintessential Cornerstone and trademark practice that makes Heifer unique and its projects sustainable. Heifer's 12 Cornerstones (Passing on the Gift, Accountability, Sharing and Caring, Sustainability and Self-Reliance, Improved Animal Management, Nutrition and Income, Gender and Family Focus, Genuine Need and Justice, Improving the Environment, Full Participation, Training and Education, and Spirituality) are effective because the interrelated causes of poverty such as social discrimination, illiteracy, superstition, poor health, and family and communal conflicts are meaningfully addressed by them.
What do you mean by "passing on the gift"?
Our cornerstone of "passing on the gift" assures that each participant in the program becomes a donor and gives the animal's offspring to another family in need. This concept helps build community and enhances dignity and participation in each project. The families continually give to others ensuring self-sufficiency, one family at a time.
Heifer's key concept is that each recipient must pass on to others first offspring of the farm animals they receive. This practice ensures that each participant in the program becomes a donor, enhancing dignity and participation in each project. Passing on the gift also helps communities to become self-sustaining.
How many projects are implemented by Heifer Nepal and where?
We are working among 32 districts across the country with 59 project partners to this date.
Can I be Project Partner of Heifer Nepal?
Through these years, Heifer Nepal has developed a distinct way of selecting project partners (NGOs) and developing its projects. Prior to partner selection, Heifer Nepal conducts series of field-visits, meeting and training sessions where Heifer Nepal gets an opportunity to gauge the NGO's capacity and know about each other. Once the project partners get selected, projects are jointly planned by the project groups, project partners and Heifer Nepal which makes the planning process truly bottom up and participatory. Realizing the possibility of shift in the priorities of the project groups as they mature, Heifer Nepal remains open and flexible to incorporate necessary changes in the project during the process of implementation.
How does Heifer International receive funds for its programs?
Heifer international receives more than 60 percent of its grant through individuals and the rest from business and organizations, congregations, educational programs, government, grants and others. Individuals and groups who want to share their resources in ending hunger and poverty can be Heifer's doners.
How are families or groups selected for support?
Heifer Nepal helps the needy and enthusiastic community who want to help themselves to uplift from poverty and move towards sustainable socio-economic development. Heifer Nepal facilitates such individuals to form self help groups and provides various trainings and livestock to help them in the process of their holistic development.
Where are Heifer's offices located in the country?
Heifer Nepal has four regional offices at Chitwan, Pokhara, Nepalgunj and Janakpur.
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